By David Spunt Reporter
News 3 On Your Side
At this hour, more than 350 soldiers are back on American soil after a 15-month deployment to Iraq.News 3 On Your Side
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Stumble It!Another flight of soldiers from the 3rd Brigade arrived just after 11pm Wednesday night at Fort Benning.
Families inside waited, most of them understandably impatient, for a little more than two hours before they could visit their soldier.
The 3rd Brigade deployed to Iraq in March of 2007 and they were one of President Bush's surge brigades.
News of the soldiers coming home was a little extra special for one Army mom at Wednesday’s homecoming. She has two sons who were deployed in the same brigade.
Theresa Holcombe was understandably impatient, as she waited. Her oldest son was just feet away, and she just had to wait until it's time.
“Oh my God it's tearing me up. I just want to tear down that wall and get a hold of him and grab him and love him. It's been a long 15 months,” Holcombe said.
In those 15 months, her son, Staff Sergeant Kirk Holcombe served his fourth tour of duty with the Army.
“Kirk has just always loved the Army; he's wanted to be in the Army since he was seven years old. He knows all the ranks, ribbons and medals,” she said.
His mother counted down the minutes until Kirk's arrival with his wife Katy, and daughter Brianna.
This week has been especially anxious for Theresa because her other son, 25-year-old Private William Holcombe is scheduled to come home Thursday evening.
She’ll have to wait a little longer to see her younger son. Wednesday night is all about Kirk, as he and his comrades make their way into Freedom Hall after two hours.
After his fourth deployment with the Army, Kirk Holcombe is with his family again. He says it's the simple things in life that make him happy.
“(I love) getting of the plane, smelling the fresh air and just waiting to see my lovely family. I just can't wait to see my brother tomorrow,” he said..
Kirk says he loved having his brother in the same brigade and he'll be on the front line, waiting for him to come home.
“I’ll be right out there and I'll help him with anything he needs and I'll be the first one running out there even though I saw him yesterday, it's good to see him every time,” he said.
Thursday night, over 300 more soldiers will make their way home to Fort Benning. As of now News 3 does not have a set time confirmed, but has learned a flight is scheduled for sometime mid-evening.
As always, News 3 will be there Thursday night and we will bring you complete coverage on News 3 Nightwatch at 11/10 central.